My Top Ten Favorite TV Theme Songs

I got to bemoaning the sorry state of television the other day. Aside from the news, very few Food Network shows, and reruns there are precious few good shows on TV today.

I really miss the quality programming with well written scripts and the well defined characters we used to have.

So called reality shows are insipidly boring. The only reality show I like is Duck Dynasty.

I also miss the quality, mostly original, theme songs of the old TV shows. That is one of the hallmarks of quality TV shows – a great theme song. Just think The Pink Panther movie. Those first few chords of that theme capture the personality of Inspector Clouseau perfectly. It sets the tone for the entire the movie.

Can you think of any other musical piece that would work and captures the personality and essence of the well-meaning but clumsy Inspector Clouseau? THAT illusive something is what a good theme song does for a TV show and movie too.

What makes a TV theme song memorable?

Magic.

The best theme songs are a perfect convergence of drama/comedy, good writing, and appealing character that is all somehow magically captured in music. It sets the mood and tone for a show and characters. I think the Number One and the all time best TV theme song is Hawaii Five-O. It is fast paced, straight forward, and no-nonsense, just like Steve McGarrett and the show itself.

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As for the other nine themes I think are great I am simply listing them in alphabetical order. Doing this post I learned it is very hard to make a Top Ten list. I don’t know how professional list makers do it. There are just so many to choose from. Some of my favorite shows, like Murphy Brown have mediocre theme songs. Some themes I like caused my list to go over ten. I was forced to pare my down. …..way down. It was not easy.

I am not going to play a video of all top ten TV shows theme songs. If you want to hear one I don’t include here they are all on You Tube.

I also tried to find videos with no ads. At least one has 1 30 second ad. Sorry.

Greatest TV Show Theme Songs

All Time Greatest and #1 Hawaii Five-O

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Numbers 2-10 in alphabetical order:

Batman

[Piece of trivia for you: Only one word TV theme song ever.]

Bonanza

Greatest American Hero

Happy Days

Magnum P.I.

wwwwwww www

Mary Tyler Moore

eeeeeeee

Monk

Sesame Street

qqqqqqq

Twilight Zone

wwwwwww

Runners Up

I am also listing, again in alphabetical order, a couple of runner ups cause I could not make up my mind.

Alfred Hitchcock Presents

eeeeeeeeee

MASH (Suicide Is Painless)

NCIS

Cheers

What is your favorite TV show theme song? Why?

Featured Recipe Shrimp Dip

Everyone has a shrimp dip recipe. After the dozen or so I have tried over the tears this one remains my favorite. First of all, it is super easy and divinely delicious. It is also wonderfully savory. If you want it to be spicy just use lots more horseradish.

This is one of the oldest recipes in my personal set of cook books. I first tried it at a Christmas party at the first school I taught at. Memories of Christmas’s past are warm and nostalgic. This recipe reminds me of all the children I have taught and makes me wonder where they all are and what they are doing now.

This is what you will need:

1 small can shrimp

8 ounces cream cheese

3 finely chopped green onions

3 tablespoons mayonnaise

½ teaspoon horseradish

3 tablespoons chili sauce

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

½ teaspoon lemon juice

Here is what you do:

In a bowl soften the cream cheese. Takes about an hour for this to occur. If it does not soften put in the microwave for 15 seconds at a time until it is softened.

Drain and roughly chop shrimp. Reserve a few of the nicer, whole, and prettiest shrimp for garnish [in the blue bowl in the picture.]

Place the shrimp into the bowl with the creme cheese.

First slice then finely dice the green onions.

Add the green onions and all of the rest of the ingredients to the bowl…….

…..and mix well.

Cover the bowl with some plastic wrap and chill for at least one hour.

When ready to serve, place the reserved whole shrimp on top of the dip.

Serve with crackers, veggies, or party rye bread.

Bon appétit!!!

Cost

1 small can shrimp $3.29

8 ounces cream cheese $2.00

3 finely chop green onions $0.15

3 tablespoons mayonnaise $0.51

½ teaspoon horseradish $0.08

3 tablespoons chili sauce $0.26

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce $0.05

½ teaspoon lemon juice $0.06

Total cost = $6.40

Quote of the Day

When you’re young, you look at television and think, there’s a conspiracy. The networks have conspired to dumb us down. But when you get a little older, you realize that’s not true. The networks are in business to give people exactly what they want.
Steve Jobs

5 comments to My Top Ten Favorite TV Theme Songs

Ooh, shrimp dip! Love shrimp dip! Bonanza was one of my favorite shows when I was a kid. Had a big crush on Little Joe. However I think television, aside from the three major channels, is better than ever. The only shows I watch are on CBS – The Big Bang Theory, Person of Interest and occasionally NCIS– needs new writers, getting too repetitive. And I’ve been watching Sleepy Hollow on Fox, although I’m not sure it has staying power.
However, there are some fantastic shows on cable – Game of Thrones, Vikings, Mob City, Downton Abby, Orphan Black, and Outlander is coming! Cable has stepped it up over the past ten years – Firefly, the new Battlestar Galactica, Mad Men, The Sopranos… Lots of great stuff out there.

Love Person of Interest. Best show on 3 major networks in years. Liked Burn Notice too when it was still on. Yes, NCIS needs transfusion. I do not watch PBS much any more. Has really sunk last 5-10 years. Cable shows, Burn Notice being exception, is just not my genre. And I know it is your genre.

I also have to wonder how much is age related. My dad, who had been avid TV watcher once, just stopped watching it as he aged. I am getting there myself. Hmmmmm